Integrally woven or knitted textile with pouch and methods of making the same

Abstract

An integrally woven or knitted textile, such as a tubular graft or sheet, includes a base textile layer and at least one pouch or flap. In the case of a graft, the textile has at least one longitudinal tubular graft portion, and at least one pouch or flap integrally woven from at least a portion of the same set of yarns. Methods of making the same are also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of making an integrally woven or knitted textile having a first end, a second end and a length thereinbetween, and comprising a longitudinal textile portion and at least one pouch, the method comprising:
 weaving or knitting the longitudinal textile portion using a set of yarns such that the longitudinal textile portion comprises an inner surface and an outer surface; and 
 weaving or knitting the at least one pouch integrally with a portion of the longitudinal textile portion from at least a portion of said set of yarns such that (i) the at least one pouch comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and (ii) the inner surface of the at least one pouch faces the outer surface of the longitudinal textile portion such that the at least one pouch defines at least one opening that leads to an open inner space between the inner surface of the at least one pouch and the outer surface of the longitudinal textile portion; 
 wherein the opening is sized to receive an element to be disposed at least partially within the open inner space; 
 wherein, if integrally woven, the set of yarns comprises at least one set of warp yarns or ends and at least one set of weft yarns or picks; and 
 wherein, if integrally knitted, the set of yarns comprises at least one set of yarns for the wales and courses. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal textile portion is woven using a set of warp ends of the at least one set of warp ends and the at least one pouch is woven from the same set of warp ends of the at least one set of warp ends. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal textile portion is woven using a set of warp ends of the at least one set of warp ends and the at least one pouch is woven using a portion of the same set of warp ends of the at least one set of warp ends and an additional set of warp ends of the at least one set of warp ends. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal textile portion is woven using a set of weft yarns of the at least one set of weft yarns and the at least one pouch is woven using at least a portion of the same set of weft yarns of the at least one set of weft yarns and an additional set of weft yarns of the at least one set of weft yarns. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming the at least one opening into the at least one pouch by cutting or sewing. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the textile is a tubular graft and wherein the at least one pouch is circumferentially positioned about the tubular graft. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pouch comprises a first pouch positioned near an end of the textile. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first pouch has a slit opening of the at least one opening positioned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the textile. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the slit opening is woven or knitted on the first pouch and extends across the first pouch. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 weaving or knitting a second pouch. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first pouch and the second pouch each have a slit opening of the at least one opening positioned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the textile. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the slit opening in the first pouch is woven or knitted in the first pouch and extends across the first pouch; and 
 wherein the slit opening in the second pouch is woven or knitted in the second pouch and extends across the second pouch. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the slit opening in the first pouch is offset 180 degrees from the slit opening in the second pouch. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the textile is a longitudinal tubular graft, and 
 wherein the longitudinal textile portion comprises a longitudinal graft portion. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein a cross-sectional view of the longitudinal tubular graft through the at least one pouch has 4 layers of woven material. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the first longitudinal tubular graft portion is continuous with the at least one pouch forming a first continuous tube portion, 
 and 
 wherein the first continuous tube portion extends from a first end of the graft to a second end of the graft. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the textile does not contain a seam between the at least one pouch and the first longitudinal textile portion. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: disposing the element within the at least one pouch. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the element is a metal wire. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of yarns is resorbable or non-absorbable, and wherein the set of yarns is selected from the group consisting of a natural material, a synthetic material, a metal, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
       21. A method of making an integrally woven tubular graft having a first end, a second end and a length thereinbetween, comprising a first, second, third longitudinal tubular graft portion comprising:
 weaving the first longitudinal tubular graft portion using a set of yarns such that the first longitudinal tubular graft portion comprises an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 weaving a first pouch integrally with a portion of the first longitudinal tubular graft portion from at least a portion of said set of yarns such that (i) the first pouch comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and (ii) the inner surface of the first pouch faces the outer surface of the first longitudinal tubular graft portion so as to define a first opening that leads to an open inner space between the inner surface of the first pouch and the outer surface of the first longitudinal tubular graft portion; 
 weaving the second longitudinal tubular graft portion integrally with the first longitudinal tubular graft portion and the first pouch from said set of yarns such that the second longitudinal tubular graft portion comprises an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 weaving a second pouch integrally with a portion of the first longitudinal tubular graft portion, the first pouch and the second longitudinal tubular graft portion from at least a second portion of said set of yarns such that (i) the second pouch comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and (ii) the inner surface of the second pouch faces the outer surface of the second longitudinal tubular graft portion so as to define a second opening that leads to an open inner space between the inner surface of the second pouch and the outer surface of the second longitudinal tubular graft portion; and 
 weaving the third longitudinal tubular graft portion integrally with the first longitudinal tubular graft portion, the first pouch, the second longitudinal tubular graft portion, and the second pouch from said set of yarns such that the third longitudinal tubular graft portion comprises an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 wherein the set of yarns comprises at least one set of warp yarns or ends and at least one set of weft yarns or picks; 
 wherein the first longitudinal tubular graft portion, the first pouch, the second longitudinal tubular graft portion, the second pouch, and the third longitudinal tubular graft portion share at least a portion of the same set of yarns; and 
 wherein the first longitudinal tubular graft portion, the second longitudinal tubular graft portion, and the third longitudinal tubular graft portion form a continuous tube from the first end to the second end of the tubular graft.